Page 18 of A Duke in Pursuit of Passion
"That is because you were always in need of correcting." Ella couldn't help herself. She laughed openly along with him.
And as their gazes met, she was drawn back into the past, able to imagine that the last sixteen years without him had been erased, feeling as though he had been at her side all this time.
Just as he looked prepared to say something, a bright movement in the corner of her eye took her breath away, and she pointed. "Look, a shooting star!"
She was only half surprised by how he gripped her free hand and pointed with his other in the same direction, following the star with his index finger. Glancing at him, she saw his eyes were closed and quickly did the same, making a wish for everything to be alright.
It felt so familiar, so like what they had always done when they saw a shooting star out in the countryside, and Ella couldn't help moving closer to the duke's son, suddenly realising how chilled the night had become.
She did not remove her hand from his. His warm grip was all too welcoming. And instinctively, she raised the front of her veil to reveal herself to him, feeling as though they were reunited after all this time.
Before she really knew what she was doing, she had caught his lips with hers.I have missed you so terribly, Nate,she thought, forcing all her emotion and heartache into that one kiss, pressing herself to him as he straightened up to embrace her tightly. She was forced onto her tiptoes to deepen the kiss, her hands clutching hold of his shirt upon his chest to steady herself.
And just like that, everything melted away around them. For a short time, she could forget her sister and the troublesome journey they were making; she could forget her father's illness and her mother's worry over their reputation. She could simply be a woman kissing a man, a man who had once been a boy that she loved beyond all reckoning.
Though the shooting star blinked out of existence, forgotten by them both, Ella's emotions swarmed like a furious wind inside her, and she found she could no more pull away than she might have been able to throw herself overboard.
Lost in his embrace, feeling the strength he put into their kiss, she sensed that he felt just the same way, and she could not bring herself to deny him any longer.
His was the face she had longed to see all these years; his was the voice she had wanted to hear; his was the hair she longed to run her fingers through just like she had on long summer days when they'd collapsed in the field after a long run with his head upon her lap as a pillow.
And here, beneath the starry night sky, they were reunited.
Chapter 12
Several days passed, and Louisa grew increasingly tired of lounging about their room at the inn. Her skin was crawling with the need to feel some fresh air and left alone once more while Joshua went about their business, she felt as though she might not be able to take it for much longer.
Though he had warned her to stay away from the windows, Louisa could not help herself. Sitting by the window, feeling like a caged bird, was her only fun. Watching passers-by go about their business, making up little stories about everyone she saw.
That was how she passed the time when she wasn't reading or thinking of sending word to her family. She had even written several letters only to throw them into the fireplace before Joshua could find them and accuse her of regretting her decision to go with him. After all they had already been through, she couldn't bear the thought of his giving up.
Sitting forlornly at the window seat, having lost her attention to a stream of dust motes fluttering in the sunshine, Louisa was surprised to hear the sound of footsteps approaching the door. She barely jumped up in time as Joshua pushed it open, a huge smile on his face.
Immediately upon seeing it, having witnessed his terrible mood over the last few days, Louisa felt a rush of relief. She could not stop from smiling along with him, hurrying forth to ask, "Is it good news? Please tell me it is good news."
Joshua hurried forth and gripped her by the upper arms, pulling her into a tight embrace before kissing her firmly on the forehead.
"The best news I could possibly share!" he announced, holding her at arm's length again. "I finally got the license! We shall be married in no time!"
Overjoyed, Louisa screamed with delight and threw her arms around him. The way he squeezed her, the excited pounding of his heartbeat against her ear, all made her even more elated, and she pulled back just enough to ask, "What now?"
Reaching up with one hand, Joshua stroked the hair from her face and cupped her cheek. "Now, you let me take care of everything!"
"Oh, but there must still be so much to do!" Louisa protested, pulling out of his arms to hold onto his hands. "You have done enough. You must let me help!"
"No, no, I shall not hear of it!" Joshua insisted. He gripped her hands back, squeezing them so tightly she thought he might never let go. "You deserve the best, and I shall give it to you."
"Surely there must be something I can do?" Louisa protested.I must get out of this room,she thought;I am going stir crazy, though she bit her lip against the urge to say the words aloud. She had said similar things only a couple of times before, and the way Joshua had changed before her eyes was unnerving. He clearly didn't like her telling him what to do or trying to force her way into help, and she had come to learn better than to try.
"Will you not even need me to help with the dress makers?" Louisa asked. Though Joshua had brought her several new pieces of clothing as he had promised her, they were ill-fitting and not at all made to measure, and there was most definitely nothing suitable for her to wear to a wedding.
"Don't you worry about a thing," Joshua protested, shaking his head. He gripped her shoulders and squeezed before placing a kiss on her forehead. "I shall see everything is perfect for you, my love. All will be well, and we shall soon be wed."
Again, he pecked her on the forehead and then upon the cheek before dashing back to the door.
"Joshua, where are you going?" Louisa called after him, biting her lip when she realised she had spoken aloud. She had grown used to his coming and going and her being forced to remain where she was, but now they had such good news, she had rather been hoping for a moment for them to stop and celebrate.
With his hand on the doorknob, Joshua turned and smirked at her. With a wink, he said, "Not to worry, my love. I shall return shortly with all the preparations finished."
